#SulemaniKeeda(Hindi) Rating: * * * Peddling attitude rather than
substance. The content is ephemeral but the performances and dialogues come
across naturally. Mildly humorous, Ironical bitter-sweet bromantic engagement -
even though the script lacks solidity and bite.

#BhopalAPrayerForRain(English/Hindi) Rating: * * * Revisiting a
terrifying human tragedy without the requisite homework. A wishy-washy tale of
death and debilitating agony, this one prefers to stay on the right side of the
Americans! Even so it’s a decent watch. #MartinSheen #MischaBarton #RajpalYadav
#SaharaMovies #PerceptPictures #RisingStarProductions #RenukaGuptaPR
#TanishtaaChatterjee #SatishKaushik

The Bhopal gas tragedy is reckoned to be
amongst the biggest Industrial disasters in human history. The accident caused
by human negligence claimed 10,000 lives within a few hours and caused severe
deformities in those that survived. In fact even future generations were
afflicted by the MIC gas leak from the Union Carbide plant sitting in the heart
of Bhopal, amidst a large slum colony enveloping it’s periphery. Over 500,000 people were exposed to
methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas and other chemicals as the toxic substance made its
way in and around the shanty towns located near the plant.

Debt-ridden
rickshaw puller Dilip (Rajpal Yadav) is eager to find work at Carbide. Financial relief is not all he is seeking
though. A job with the town's flagship employer bestows a certain
respectability that will potentially improve his sister's marriage prospects.
The freak accidental death of a worker in the factory , who also happens to be
his neighbor and good friend, creates an opportunity, and Dilip steps into the
vacancy despite his lack of experience and training.

Meanwhile, the same accident prompts local
newsmonger Motwani (Kal Penn) to investigate the company's chemical products
and safety precautions. During a visit by Chief Executive Warren Anderson
(Martin Sheen), Motwani manages to persuade ‘Paris Match’ journalist Eva
(Mischa Barton) to wrangle an interview with the CEO. But the revelations are
not enough to create enough of a furor over mismanagement and negligence.

Ravi Kumar’s film based
on the true events that lead up to that humungous tragedy tries hard to capture
the realities of the perils that emanated majorly from neglect, sheer
callousness for human life and greed for profit at any cost. But the end result
seems to be far removed from the initial intent. As the tragedy plays out,
leading up to the unforgettable events of
the night of 2–3 December
1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal,
Madhya Pradesh, the filmmaker appears to shift sights midstream in an effort to
minimize blame tragedy onto the Indian technicians involved in the running of
the plant. Over 500,000 people were exposed to methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas as
the toxic substance made its way in and around the shanty towns located near
the plant.

"Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain" sets it’s sights on being a
historical-drama but it’s efforts to showcase the shocking events that led to the tragedy appear less than
gritty and realistic- mainly because the narrative prefers to sit on the fence
and the overall performances are not of
a very high quality. While focusing largely on
the negligence and ineptitude of the mostly inexperienced and
underqualified technical crew in the plant the film seeks to draw the ire away
from the CEO’s own culpability in the matter of administrative accountability.

By and large the tragedy has been captured quite effectively, serving as a
reasonably well put-together account of that dark night. But the lack of sting
in it’s expose of unholy nexus between
the corrupt politicians and international corporations that seek to exploit the
benefits of cheap land and cheaper labor available aplenty in the third world
nations, is quite galling. The narrative plays out empathetically but there is little depth in the telling.
Though this one is a first on the tragedy, it’s by no means a definitive or entirely satisfying account of the event.
And it most certainly doesn’t do justice to the pain and suffering of those
left behind!